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Tue, 11 Dec 2018 17:30:20 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7.112 Places You Should Never Cut Corners With IThttps://www.spartantec.com/2018/11/05/2-places-you-should-never-cut-corners-with-it/
https://www.spartantec.com/2018/11/05/2-places-you-should-never-cut-corners-with-it/#respondMon, 05 Nov 2018 15:48:26 +0000https://spartantec.axionthemes.com/?p=25128Today’s technology empowers business owners in ways that would have seemed incredible even 10 years ago. With a humming network connecting your team to the rest of the world, and with just ...]]>Today’s technology empowers business owners in ways that would have seemed incredible even 10 years ago. With a humming network connecting your team to the rest of the world, and with just a few simple keystrokes, your organization can complete tasks that used to take days.

However, the endless possibility that accompanies technological advancement comes with a catch: to be truly effective, IT requires investment – not just of capital, but of time and attention, resources all too dear to the harried entrepreneurs of the modern age. Perhaps this is why, everywhere you look, small to midsize business owners are not only failing to realize the full potential of their technology, but are unknowingly leaving massive gaps in their systems and processes for malicious entities to exploit. And so, budding companies that would otherwise dominate the market are prematurely stamped out by competitors with more tech savvy or are hamstrung by costly data breaches.

Even in the midst of this trend, we understand how easy it is to ignore your company’s glaring technological gaps. You imagine that you don’t have the time or money to address the issue, or that you’ll do it down the road once your business is better established. But no matter how big or small your business may be, there are two foundational tech concerns that you should never cut corners on.

1 SECURITY

Pretty much every successful company today is intimately intertwined with the technology on which it depends. So it makes sense that your primary worry should be protecting what’s yours from those who want to snatch it. Think of it this way: would you hire a $5 locksmith to secure your office? Of course not. Then why do so many business owners put their livelihood behind a flimsy, $5 firewall – or, even worse, a free antivirus? In 2018, it is more likely that your business will fall victim to a cyber-attack than it is that thieves will arrive at your office in the dead of night, according to a 2017 report from Kroll.

In 2015, SEC Commissioner Luis A. Aguilar wrote, “Cyber security is clearly a concern that the entire business community shares, but it represents an especially pernicious threat to smaller businesses. The reason is simple: small and midsize businesses are not just targets of cybercrime; they are the principal targets.” With this in mind, cyber security should always be one of your top priorities.

2 TECH SUPPORT THAT GOES BEYOND THE “BREAK-FIX” APPROACH

It’s difficult to overestimate the money, time and stress it can cost you when your technology breaks down. Between server downtime, haywire software, connectivity issues and myriad other potential problems, when your stuff breaks, it can cause more than a massive headache – it can put you out of business.

Most business owners realize this, but many still opt for the classic “break-fix” strategy. Unfortunately, “If it ain’t broke…” is a dangerous maxim by which to steer a ship. If you wait to address a problem until after it becomes an issue, you’re inviting a crisis into the equation that could easily have been avoided with a keen, proactive eye. And when your server fails, or your network experiences hiccups, or some other unforeseen issue rears its ugly head, an unfamiliar break-fix technician will take longer to fix the issue than an expert who’s been working with your specific network from start to finish and already knows it inside out. It’s just not worth it.

In addition, proactively managed service providers will consistently make recommendations to keep your company competitive. Whether it be a small upgrade to software here, a patch there or an overhaul of your server system, these moves can be invaluable in the breakneck marketplace. And, of course, since they’re keeping tabs on your tech at all times, any potential problems get addressed long before they hit your bottom line.

By leveraging technology, you and your business can do amazing things. Partner with a team of IT professionals who are actively invested in your success and confidently push your company into 2019.

]]>https://www.spartantec.com/2018/11/05/2-places-you-should-never-cut-corners-with-it/feed/0On cybersecurity product testinghttps://www.spartantec.com/2018/10/23/on-cybersecurity-product-testing/
Tue, 23 Oct 2018 16:10:03 +0000https://spartantec.axionthemes.com/?p=25042Fair, rigorous, transparent, and collaborative cybersecurity product testing is good for customers and good for the industry

]]>Chalubo botnet wants to DDoS from your server or IoT devicehttps://www.spartantec.com/2018/10/22/chalubo-botnet-wants-to-ddos-from-your-server-or-iot-device/
Mon, 22 Oct 2018 22:40:04 +0000https://spartantec.axionthemes.com/?p=25029Attackers using brute-force SSH attacks have started to distribute a new bot that engages in coordinated denial-of-service attacks

]]>This Is The #1 Security Threat To Your Business … And It WILL Happen To Youhttps://www.spartantec.com/2018/10/12/this-is-the-1-security-threat-to-your-business-and-it-will-happen-to-you/
https://www.spartantec.com/2018/10/12/this-is-the-1-security-threat-to-your-business-and-it-will-happen-to-you/#respondFri, 12 Oct 2018 02:26:48 +0000https://spartantec.axionthemes.com/?p=24948Would you leave the front door of your business wide open every night? Of course, you wouldn’t. When nobody’s at the office, you’ve got to protect your assets, usually behind locked doors, ...]]>Would you leave the front door of your business wide open every night? Of course, you wouldn’t. When nobody’s at the office, you’ve got to protect your assets, usually behind locked doors, a complex security system and often even a network of CCTV cameras. There are procedures in place in case a thief ever wriggles their way into your facilities. And you’ve got insurance if the worst ever happens.

But what about your digital assets? According to a report from Kroll, digital theft of small businesses overtook physical theft in 2017, for the first time ever. As surprising as it may seem, today your business is more likely to be penetrated by hackers than for a disgruntled ex-employee to boost a few PCs in the dead of night.

Despite this, data shows that the vast majority of small businesses are seriously underprepared for cyber-attacks. The 2018 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report states that a full 58% of malware strikes were on small businesses over the last 12 months, a number that continues to climb. The average cost of these attacks has climbed in turn, now exceeding $1 million between efforts to recover data and restore daily business operations. Yet, according to a 2016 survey by the National Center for the Middle Market, less than half of midsize US businesses have an up-to-date strategy to address cyber security concerns and almost a third have no plan at all.

In effect, business owners are leaving their digital front doors unlocked, complete with a neon sign saying “Rob me!” flickering above. While it’s easy to assume you’re safe from the kinds of large-scale digital breaches you read about in the news every week, that false sense of security will eventually come back to haunt you. With more than half of small businesses targeted for digital attacks every year, it’s practically inevitable that you’ll end up in the crosshairs of cybercriminals. Without the proper security measures in place, that $1 million bill is going to hit your desk one day, and it may even shutter your business for good.

Luckily, with even a modicum of proper, proactive stewardship of your digital assets, you can turn that open door into a bank vault in no time. First, start with your employees. A full 51% of data breaches occur due to the negligence of hapless team members, according to CompTIA. Establish comprehensive security policies, lay them down in crystal-clear print and have your employees sign off on them. Build a thorough education program to school your employees on the risks and signs of digital crime. Topics should range from “How to spot a phishing e-mail” to the proper construction of company passwords.

While your employees are learning the ins and outs of basic cyber security, invest in multilayered protections for your network. This must go beyond a simple, free antivirus, and should include platforms to keep all your patches up-to-date, security measures seamlessly integrated with company e-mail and, preferably, the watchful eye of a managed services provider. If you’re not a professional, it’s easy to miss security holes that would be glaring to criminals, even if you do your research. Better to get the experts involved and keep them patching those holes as they arise rather than risk missing something that flips your company belly-up down the road.

Thousands upon thousands of other small-business owners are leaving their digital door wide open day in, day out. As a result, cybercriminals have begun to consider companies like yours to be easy pickings, vulnerable fruit ripe for harvest. Don’t be one of the millions of businesses that succumb to cyber-attacks every year. Invest in adequate protection and give yourself the peace of mind you need to focus on what you do best: making money.

]]>https://www.spartantec.com/2018/10/12/this-is-the-1-security-threat-to-your-business-and-it-will-happen-to-you/feed/0Sophos Mobile gets in sync with Google Cloud Identityhttps://www.spartantec.com/2018/10/11/sophos-mobile-gets-in-sync-with-google-cloud-identity/
Thu, 11 Oct 2018 15:50:05 +0000https://spartantec.axionthemes.com/?p=24944Onboarding new devices to management policy controls includes the important step of user authentication. That's why we're excited to be one of the launch partners for Google Cloud's new secure LDAP feature, launched today at Google Next London. Sophos Mobile customers now have the option to validate their users' identities with G Suite and Google […]

]]>The price of a cheap mobile phone may include your privacyhttps://www.spartantec.com/2018/10/02/the-price-of-a-cheap-mobile-phone-may-include-your-privacy/
Tue, 02 Oct 2018 15:40:03 +0000https://spartantec.axionthemes.com/?p=24862Inexpensive mobile phones may be subject to "supply chain compromise," with Trojaned third party apps. We look at a phone that shipped with factory-installed malware